San Marcos' season ends in Area round of the playoffs

BRYAN — San Marcos was full of heartache following a 3-0, game-three loss to Klein inside Nutrabolt Stadium on Saturday. But head coach Bryan Webb told his group they should be walking off the field with their heads high after the heart they showed in the series.

The Rattlers responded to a 12-0 run rule loss in game one with an offensive performance Klein was unable to match in the second game of the series. The offense didn’t carry over into game three in what was a defensive struggle for majority of the contest.

A loss to the Bearkats brought an up-and-down season to a close for San Marcos in the UIL 6A Area round of the playoffs.

“It was a hard practice on Friday,” Webb said. “We were very critical, very tough. We went and watched film and had to watch that crap that happened on Thursday. But there were points where they grew as young men. They showed up (Saturday), did everything I asked them to do. Followed the game plan and believed in the game plan. And boy, they went toe-to-toe with a good team.”

The Rattlers responded with senior leadership on the mound in both games two and three. Senior Josh Wilder battled for six innings, keeping the Klein offense at bay while the Rattlers gradually built a lead. The Bearkats threatened with the bases loaded twice but San Marcos stranded a total of 10 runners on the afternoon.

In game three, senior RJ Pardo received his final start as a Rattler. Pardo competed for a complete game. He held the Klein offense to one run until the sixth inning when two insurance runs were added. San Marcos was unable to respond in final inning and fell to the Bearkats to end the year.

“It’s what seniors are supposed to do,” Webb said. “They’re supposed to be there when we need it. That’s why we went with the two out of three series. We felt like we had a shot but we put ourselves in a spot. Our seniors played lights out. They did everything we asked them to do. When they finally bought in and started believing great things happened for them.”

Following the game three loss, Webb spoke with his group and the seniors about how appreciative he was for the ride. A ride which included a tough 4-6 District 14-6A record, an upset win inside Dell Diamond over Cedar Ridge and a series in which they competed against the heavy favorite Klein for three games.

To the seniors, he mentioned how much of an honor it was to coach them over the past four years. For a year that was full of questions, the Rattlers continually answered the call down the stretch.
San Marcos has a lot to look forward to and to build on from the experience of this year. Key spots in the lineup and in the field will be returning for the Rattlers as they continue to grow as a program.

“I told (the seniors) it's their responsibility to come back and help these young guys because each of you has a story to tell to a young guy,” Webb said. “That’s what we do at San Marcos. We bring our old kids back and get these younger kids going again. (The returners) now know what has to be done and what is expected. They know the timing of everything and this experience is something you have to enjoy every single day. Don’t cheat a day.”

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The inclusion of a Craddock Avenue extension through environmentally sensitive land in a presentation on the city's Transportation Master Plan at Tuesday's city council meeting raised questions.

The potential extension, that would extend Craddock to Lime Kiln Road and Interstate 35 on a route above Sink Creek, is listed as a conservation corridor in the thoroughfare plan.

There currently are only two routes that connect traffic between Interstate 35 and areas west now – Wonder World Drive and through downtown. The Craddock Avenue extension would divert the traffic that is moving through downtown to other areas, but could present some potential environmental issues.

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, or CAMPO, started a regional arterial study in the middle of last year and when it is finished, it could show potential alternatives to the Craddock extension that CAMPO would be interested in funding.

The council is set to vote on the Transportation Master Plan on June 5.

Yes, it would ease traffic downtown sooner.

No, it's an environmentally-sensitive area and the city should wait for CAMPO options.